Thursday, April 4, 2013

Ideas That Will Help You Enjoy Your Trip

By Filiberto Steffens


Traveling can be an amazing, wonderful time. You may learn new things, see things you've always wanted to see and maybe only thought about in dreams.

Perhaps you will even make some new international friends. In this article, you will learn some great tips and get some advice on the ins and outs of traveling.

Take work with you. If you spend a small amount of time performing work tasks on your trip, be it for business or pleasure, you can then deduct the expenses of that trip on your income taxes. Check with your tax professional for details about what you can and can't do, but make sure you save those receipts.

If you are going to travel to another country you will need to get a passport. This can take some time so it is best to prepare in advance. You should be prepared to answer questions, bring in legal documents to prove who you are, and plan to wait a few weeks or more for the passport to be ready for you to travel with.

If you are traveling overseas, find out whether the country you are in, offers a menu of the day. This option introduces you to inexpensive food, that is native to the area that you are visiting. Most menus have several courses that even include a glass or a bottle of wine. You can save a tremendous amount of money, eating out this way.

When you are traveling, try to pack everything in one carry-on bag. Airlines have started charging for things that they used to include in the price of your ticket, including checked bags, snacks and entertainment. There are two airlines that do not charge you to check bags, but they often have long waits at their baggage areas. You'll save time and money if you can keep everything in a single bag.

If you are bringing along a gift for your host or hostess while flying, wait to wrap the gift until you arrive at your destination. There is a good chance that a wrapped gift will be opened at a security checkpoint, so it may be a waste of time to wrap it prior to leaving.

Before you begin packing for your trip, sit down and make a list of the things that you need to take with you. Doing this will help assure that you have included the items that you are going to need without having to unpack your bags several times to see if you had packed them.

Keep a group journal in your hotel room while traveling. Invest in something as inexpensive as a spiral notebook, and allow the people you are traveling with to write in it during down time. This will provide an interesting read later and will be a nice keepsake from your trip.

To save money on your vacation, choose a hotel that offers rooms with an en-suite kitchen or kitchenette. Even a simple refrigerator can save you big bucks if, instead of paying for the pricy hotel breakfast buffet, you pick up some cereal, milk, and yogurt to eat in your room.

When planning to fly for a trip, don't forget any frequent flier miles you might have racked up. It does you no good to hang onto those once you've already gone on your big vacation. Even if you don't have enough miles to cover the whole trip, many airlines will allow you to discount your rate using your miles.

To have a less stressful trip and over all more enjoyable travel, it is important to plan ahead. By planning ahead, one can reduce their chances of forgetting something that is needed. Also, if something comes up, there is enough time to handle it as opposed to having to rush at the last minute.

Consider picking up take-out menus and using them as your travel souvenirs. If you eat at a particularly great place, ask for a copy of the menu and write down what you ate on it. These menus can help you remember what you enjoyed and even allow you to seek out similar meals in your area.

To be truly prepared for travel when packing your clothes, have something for all seasons. Even if its summer where you are going, the climate can still be very different than you are used to. Include both the swimsuit and a good jacket just in case. Even the Bahamas get cool on rare occasions.

Try to be flexible about your travel dates. If you can search for a day before and a day after a particular date, you will likely see that prices can vary. You may save some money by flying out a day earlier or later. These savings could easily add up to well over, a hundred dollars.

Walk when you can. To keep your ankles from swelling and your joints from getting sore, stand up and walk whenever you get a chance. On the plane, get up and go to the bathroom or walk the aisle, once every hour. If you have a layover, opt to take a few laps of the terminal, rather than just sitting at your gate.

To make sure you have room for souvenirs you purchase on a trip, pack an empty duffle bag. The duffle bag can be folded up and stored with the rest of your items. When you're ready to leave, open up the duffle bag and use it to carry home everything you bought on your trip.

Travel is a vital, thrilling part of many people's lives. Like most life experiences, it is usually enhanced by careful research and forethought. If you are lucky enough to be embarking on a travel adventure, use the advice provided in this article to maximize your positive travel experiences and minimize any possible downfalls.




About the Author:



No comments: